Elno
Elno is an ice planet orbiting Nova Kirbani A, the planet orbits at the edge of the system meaning it also influences the asteroid belt around its parent. Elno has one small moon Irnil, which probably formed together with the planet. In-game Description "Elno is a large icy planet orbiting far from Nova Kirbani A. The planet is covered almost entirely with ice, giving it a bright blue and white hue. While Elno’s surface is believed to be uninhabitable, scientists haven’t yet ruled out the possibility of subsurface seas, some of which could be habitable for life as we know it." Physical Characteristics Elno is the last and coldest planet orbiting Nova Kirbani A. The planet is well known in the system for being the only world in the Nova Kirbani System, other than its moon, to be covered entirely in ice. Despite the iciness of the surface, the planet has some complex topography compared to most ice worlds. Most of the surface has the same variation as any other rocky world, with lowlands, midlands, and highlands. However, on Elno, the surface is generally flatter, as the planet doesn’t seem to have a lot of tectonic activity going on. The planet has a few frozen lakes and glaciers as well. The glaciers, unlike on Kerbin, are situated near the equator, and are mostly concentrated on one spot. The main glacier runs from the northern pole and the equator, a result of the changing temperatures from the time of the year. As a consequence, glaciers will often change directions depending on where the buildup of snow and ice is. The frozen lakes remain a mystery to how they form. The prevailing theory is that they form during a rare event where Elno receives the most light, during the summer at the periapsis when the day side is receiving light from both Nova Kirbani A and B. For the rest of the time, the lakes will remain frozen The poles are surprisingly different from the rest of the surface. Both poles are made of significantly more ice, while the temperate and equatorial zones are more of a combination of ice and dust. The poles also stick out because they contain a lot more carbon dioxide ice, along with water ice. Atmosphere and Climate Elno’s atmosphere is made mostly of carbon dioxide, with traces of argon, methane, and nitrogen. The atmosphere is slowly being stripped away, due to solar wind from Nova Kirbani A and Elno’s weak magnetosphere. The thin atmosphere prevents the surface from maintaining a near constant temperature, and leads to radically different temperatures between day and night sides. This can drive strong winds across the surface, and is one of the leading causes of Elno’s climate and topography. The climate is determined primarily by its high axial tilt respective to Nova Kirbani A. Because of the tilt, large portions of Elno can exhibit perpetual daylight or night during summer and winter months. This causes harsh winds to rage across the planet from north to south pole at solstices. The temperature differences are also driving factors in Elno’s glaciers and can form the lakes at extreme temperatures. Rings Elno is also well known for having a thin set of rings. Unlike the rings of planets like Voon, Elno’s ring particles are much larger, with some being the size of dust to the size of large houses. This makes traversing through the rings highly dangerous, and any ships that pass through are likely to suffer some damage. Moon //Irnil TBA Possibilities of Life It’s possible Elno could be host to life. Studies show that The planet could host a subsurface ocean beneath the thick layer of ice, suggesting that there is an environment friendly for organisms to thrive. Elno also has organic chemicals on the surface that could allow for the formation of complex macromolecules necessary for life to exist. Some scientists are skeptical, however, suggesting that the planet can’t produce enough heat to form a subsurface ocean. In the event one exists, they argue that there isn’t enough energy to allow for a base on a complex food chain. Trivia Elno's surface colors and look are inspired on the planet 'Hoth' from Star Wars.Category:Nova Kirbani System Category:Planet Category:Exoplanet